THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 735 



life at sea. He called on a patent attorney and described his invention 

 prior to applying for a patent. 



I then proceeded: "The patent I should ask for would he for ' disengaging and 

 floating quarter-decks of steamers and other vessels for the purpose of saving human 

 lives at sea.' These I would propose to huild of solid timber, or other material, rest- 

 ing upon and answering all the purposes of quarter-decks ; and, in case of the sink- 

 ing of a vessel, to be disengaged by means which I would set forth in the specifica- 

 tion, and capable of floating, as rafts, with all the passengers and crew upon them. 

 These rafts might easily be made of sufficient strength to resist the force of the most 

 violent sea; and their shape being such as to prevent them from capsizing, there 

 would be little difficulty in preserving life for many days upon them. They might 

 be made to contain within them water-proof cases of sheet iron or tin, to carry pro- 

 visions and liquors, and also rockets for signals, valuable papers, money, &c. ; and, 

 when driven on shore, would float safely over a reef, where vessels and life-boats go 

 to pieces and the greatest loss of life generally takes place. In case of a vessel on 

 fire at sea, when it should be found that all exertions to extinguish the flames were 

 unavailing, all hands might retreat to the quarter-deck, and the vessel be scuttled 

 and sunk by slinging a gun and firing a shot through her bottom or by other means ; 

 and as she goes down the flames of course are extinguished, and her passengers and 

 crew and valuables might be saved on the raft as I have described." 



When I had thus explained the nature of my invention, I asked the agent whether 

 he considered it new and fit to be patented ; to which he at once replied, u You may 

 rely on it, sir, it is entirely new ; nothing of the kind has been patented, and it is a 

 subject for which I think I can get you what we call a ' clean patent.' " Upon this I 

 at once authorized him to proceed and procure the patent in the quickest manner 

 possible, saying that the money required for it should be ready as fast as he should 

 call for it. After this, and in further conversation about it, he said: " I think re- 

 markably well of the invention, and, though I am not in the habit of giving encour- 

 agement to my employers, I say to you frankly, that I believe that when we have 

 obtained the patent the admiralty will buy it out of your hands and give it for the 

 benefit of the world at large." 



Being thus authorized, he proceeded, and the patent was obtained in the space of 

 two months, and for which I paid him the sum of one hundred and thirty pounds. 



After I had received my patent, I met a friend, Mr. R , to whom I explained 



the nature of my invention; and when I had got through, he asked me who had 

 been my agent in the business and I told him, to which he replied that it was very 

 strange, as he believed that a friend of his, a Captain Oldmixon, had procured a 

 patent in London for a similar thing some five or six years before. He said he was 

 quite confident that it was the same thing, for he had heard him say a great deal 

 about it, and recollected his having advertised and performed an experiment on a 

 vessel in the river below the city, and advised me to call on my agent and put the 

 question to him. I did s6, and he referred to the published list of patents for ten or 

 twelve years back, and assured me that no such name was on the list of patentees, 

 and that I might rest satisfied that no such patent had ever been taken out. 



I then returned to my friend, Mr. R , and informed him of this, telling him 



that he must be mistaken ; to which he replied, •' No ; since you have been absent I 

 have recollected more. I have found the address of Captain Oldmixon's attorney, 

 who procured the patent for him, which I give you; and I wish you would call on 

 him, and he will correct me if I am wrong." 



I took the address and called on the attorney, whom I found in his office. I asked 

 him if he had taken out a patent for Captain Oldmixon five or six years ago, and he 

 replied that he had. I asked him if he would be kind enough to tell me the nature 

 of it, and he instantly replied that it was for " disengaging and floating quarter-decks 



